One Less Black
by Reyem
Summary: Walburga Black discovers that her son has run away. Written for Round 8 of the QLFFC, in place of Keeper.


_A/N: Rd 8 for The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition. Written in place of Keeper by Beater 2_

_Team: Tutshill Tornadoes_

_Position: Keeper (written by Beater 2)_

* * *

**ONE LESS BLACK**

"THE UNGRATEFUL, SPITEFUL, SELFISH…" Every known insult raged from Walburga's mouth as she tore apart her eldest son's room, discarding every single red and gold item that decorated the room. She growled fiendishly at the muggle poster of bikes and women that were plastered onto his wall. Where did she go wrong? How could someone of her position and bloodline do this to her family?

She left the room in a messy state and slammed the door shut behind her. He other son, Regulus, opened his own bedroom door to find out why his mother was in a manic state, but it was no surprise to him that it was because of Sirius.

"Kreacher!" she called out as she stormed down the steps.

Immediately, the house elf appeared at the bottom of the steps. "Yes, mistress. How can Kreacher serve the noble house of Black?" He was bowing low with reverence, his pointed nose almost touching the floor.

"Go upstairs to Sirius's room and destroy anything that isn't of value to the family name. Anything of Gryffindor descent, anything of muggle origin, anything that would shame the family; all of it must be destroyed."

The house elf was gone before she could ask twice as she continued her descent. She stormed into the main parlor. She already had her wand out of her sheath, knowing what she was about to do was permanent, and she would not think twice after it happened.

The tapestry was as old and grand as her family, and she adored every bit of history that was written there. In fact, she was always a part of the family from both her father's side of the family and her husband's. It was like it would forever be an insignia of her life. So many honorable witches and wizards were on that tapestry, and she was sad to see so many scorch marks that had appeared only within the past few years.

That damned squib Marius didn't try hard enough. How hard was it to levitate a feather? She remembered hearing updates of his struggles at school. And on the day that he announced he was a squib and accepted it, she blasted his name off the tapestry. She didn't need anyone soiling her family name.

Then, chaos followed suit. So many muggle loving blood traitors appeared. People like Isla, Cendrella, Andromeda, and especially Phineas were not worthy enough to carry the family name. Marrying muggleborns, not to mention muggles? Walburga's stomach churned at the thought. To willingly has sex with them had to prove they were insane! That was reason enough to disown them from the ranks. As for the muggle lovers, it was unfortunate the men could not change their name like the ladies did after they married.

Now, her son, who had held so much promise when he was born, had become a traitor now as well.

Kreacher appeared in the parlor, turning her attention away from the tapestry.

"Mistress Black," he cooed, "Kreacher has destroyed all of Master Sirius's belongings, but he has failed mistress."

"How have you failed me, Kreacher?"

It seemed as if the house elf was too ashamed to look his mistress in the eye. "Master Sirius defiled his bedroom walls with hideous images of muggle objects and filthy muggle women. Kreacher cannot remove them."

"WHAT?" she screamed, fearing the worst. How many times had Sirius seen her perform the permanent sticking charm on so many of her precious heirlooms, including that same tapestry.

She raced up the steps once more with speed that defied her age. As she threw open the door, her eyes were blessed to see neutral colored figures, save for a banner of Gryffindor stuck on the wall. But as she tried to vanish that first, it remained adamantly stuck to the surface.

Anger boiled through her veins as she sent another vanishing charm at the offending object, but it was no use, it was plastered there for eternity. With a wailing cry of loathment, Fiendfyre shot through her wand, incinerating the bedspread but barely making an effect on the posters and banner.

"ENOUGH!" she cried, extinguishing the flame and leaving the room as she returned back to the parlor, seething. Kreacher followed close behind, whimpering and sobbing about his failed attempt to please her. She ignored him, focusing all her anger at the one leaf on the tree that bore the name of her eldest son, a failure to her and to all of the noble house of Black.

"_Avada Kedavra" _she cursed, focusing it on the area of the tapestry, and in a green flash of light, it hit its target, bathing the old heirloom in green light. As the spell ended, a large hole was in the place of Sirius, the ends smoking a little around the charred threads. She calmly replaced her wand back into its confines, and turned to leave the room.

Outside in the narrow hallway, Walburga found her other son observing her carefully, as if he was afraid that he would set his mother off further than she was already. She then realized how she appeared to Regulus. She approached her son slowly, relaxing her posture so as to not alarm him.

"Regulus Arcturus Black," she said, placing two strong hands on his shoulders, "it is up to you now to carry our name."

Regulus straightened up, aware of what his mother said entailed. "Sirius is gone for good, then?"

"Yes," she replied coldly, "I no longer consider him my son. I hope you understand the seriousness of what this means for you."

"Of course, mother," he nodded adamantly. "He was always shaming the family. He has gotten what he deserved."

"I'm glad you realize that, son." Walburga turned to go to her room, but at the landing she turned to give Regulus one final word of advice. "Make your decisions wisely, Regulus. Do not disappoint the Ancient and Noble House of Black."


End file.
